R seybold



Nov. 5, 1935. R; EYBQLD 2,019,800

PN-EUMATICALLY PLAYI NG ACCORDION Filed Nov. 10, 1950 2 sheets-snet 1W'm WW fmvenfor: 1

Nov. 5, 1935. R, SEYBQLD 2,019,800

PNEUMATICALLY PLAYI NG ACCORDION Filed Nov 10, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2'Patented Nov. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application November10, 1930, Serial No. 494,648 In Germany November 23, 1929 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to self-acting musical instruments, suchas accordions, bandonions, and the like, and consists in providing theinstruments, without altering materially their external shape andcombination, with an inside pneumatic or electric player controlled by astrip of music and adapted to release the reed plates, sound beingproduced as in a normal instrument by moving the bellows to and fro byhand. The reed plates are disposed in the usual manner in both parts ofthe instruments, as are the releasing devices which act upon the reedplates, and the constant playing wind required is produced by treadle ormotor independently of the instrument. The releasing device arranged inboth the bass and treble part is controlled by a common music band, theconveying device of which is located in the bass or treble portion ofthe accordion or other instrument concerned. However, if the dynamicrecords on the music band are to be followed durlng playing, the musictransporting device may be arranged also on the bass or treble portionof the instrument.

The conveying device for the music band may be arranged also at adistance from the instrument and the reed plates released by remotecontrol by connecting, for example, the instrument in a suitable mannerwith another self-playing one. In this case the instruments must befitted with suitable devices for the pneumatic or electric release ofthe reed plates of the instrument, such as an accordion, which would bemade to sound by moving the bellows to and fro.

A portable accordion of this type enables everyone to play any musicand, by moving the bellows to and fro, to vary the character of themusic according to ones own mood while the reed plates are actuated bythe pneumatic device inside the instrument.

Two forms of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which views of partly opened accordions constructed according to theinvention are shown.

Referring to the drawings, a is the treble portion, b, the bass portion;0, the accordion bellows; d, the box for the music conveying device; e,e' are the reed plates with their sounding tongues in the treble andbass portions (1 and b; f, the wind chests; and g, the small bellowsreleasing the keys. h is the sliding block to which the hoses i, ileading to the wind chests j are connected, 7' the rollers and l themusic strip passing by the slide block from one roller to the other. Thedriving means for the rollers, which may be a spring work and alsolocated in the box (1 has not been shown. The lengths of hose 1" leadingto the bass portion are arranged side by side so as,

to form a band. In this way the hose remains perfectly mobile and breaksat the bending points are prevented, the length of the band being chosenso as not to interfere with the motion of the accordion bellows. The airpiping from the blower to feed the wind chests f, ,f is connected to thebranch is.

Whilst in Fig. l the controlling mechanism comprising the sliding blockh, the rollers j and the music strip 1 is mounted inside the accordion,the same is arranged outside the accordion in Fig. 2 and the hoses i areleading from outside to the wind chests f inside the accordion.

I claim:

1. In an accordion, a pneumatic action inside the instrument foractuating the flaps of the reeds, a tracker bar in connection with thepneumatic action, a tuning roll of paper passing over the tracker bar,driving means for the tuning roll and a pumping mechanism for supplyingair to the pneumatic action.

2. In an accordion having a bass and a treble portion, a pneumaticaction inside of each portion for actuating the flaps of the reeds ofsaid portion, a tracker bar in one of the portions in connection withthe pneumatic actions of both portions, a multitubular hose-bandconnecting the tracker bar with the pneumatic action in the oppositeportion, a tuning roll of paper passing over the tracker bar, drivingmeans for the roll and a pumping mechanism supplying air to thepneumatic actions.

3. In an accordion having playing bellows for making the reeds sound, apneumatic action for actuating the flaps of the reeds, a tracker bar inconnection with said pneumatic action, a tuning roll of paper passingover the tracker bar, driving means for the roll and a pumping mechanismsupplying air to the pneumatic action independently from the windproduced by the accordion playing bellows.

4. In an accordion, a pneumatic action inside the instrument foractuating the flaps of the reeds, a controlling mechanism for thepneumatic action outside the accordion, means for establishingconnection between said controlling mechanism and the pneumatic actionin the accordion and a pumping mechanism for supplying air to thepneumatic action.

RENE SEYBOLD.

